Influencer-generated content congruency: scale development, validation and effect

Considering that existing knowledge about how consumers consider influencer-generated content (IGC) as congruent/incongruent remains limited, this research employs the mixed-method approach to conceptualize IGC congruency and identify what makes IGC congruent/incongruent to viewers. Drawing on a series of qualitative and quantitative studies, this research develops an IGC congruency scale with five dimensions: travel style, topic, valence, visual, and recommendation. The findings show that IGC congruency is a key factor affecting IGC credibility, travel inspiration, and behavioral intentions. The research concludes by exploring implications for marketing and tourism practices and suggests future research directions to improve our understanding of IGC congruency.